
5 Reasons the awards industry continues to thrive
The awards and recognition industry continues to be a thriving industry, with more businesses than ever hosting award ceremonies and more organisations entering awards. Companies can see fantastic benefits from not just winning awards but being shortlisted and simply taking part. From a PR and marketing perspective, participating in awards programmes securers trust in your consumers, demonstrates company growth and creates an interesting brand story. Here are 5 reasons why the awards industry is thriving!
1. Technology has streamlined the process
Technology has undoubtedly given awards ceremonies a leg up in growth and profitability. When asked, many organisers of award ceremonies credit the technology and support from tech providers as the main contributor to the success of their events. The right technology now makes it easier to organise and help grow profitable awards which makes it more appealing for organisations when deciding to host awards. The right awards management software also makes the process of entering awards easier, meaning more companies are likely to enter.
What can software built specifically for awards programmes achieve?
- Streamline processes
- Saves time and money
- Provides seamless user experience when entering awards
- Protects events brand
Innovation in Evessio's award-winning event management software continues to break down the manual and time-consuming operational tasks of organising awards. The analytical tools have resulted in many customer success stories which have grown events by up to 30% in the first year of switching to Evessio. (Growing events with Evessio- The William Reed Case Study)
2. Sales and marketing benefits to businesses
Entering awards is a large part of many organisations' sales and marketing plans. Entering per category varies in cost , but the return on investment can be huge. B2B businesses can see sales opportunities of £10-100k off the back of one award win. According to Best Business Awards, award-winning small businesses can see a 63% increase in income and a 39% growth in sales. Large companies can see a 48% increase in income and a 37% growth in sales. Many businesses have experienced a large return on investment opportunities by entering awards. Being involved in awards is great PR, you are ultimately broadening your promotional activity onto other platforms, attracting new audiences and accessing new leads. Whether you win or are shortlisted, the event and event partners will promote you to their communities on their marketing platforms.
Winning or being shortlisted for an award is evidence of your statement to your consumers. Everyone claims to be the best and provide the best, but awards and accolades prove to your audience you live up to your claims. Awards certify that you can deliver what you promise.
Awards distinguish your offerings from competitors, it's a stamp of approval, that you can offer them a product or service that competitors can't. Awards are great for brand awareness and show your company is making excellent growth.
3. Staff morale
Award submissions are not only a big part of marketing strategies but also now integral aspects of staff retention and morale programmes. Putting forward employees for awards and inviting them to attend award ceremonies is a recognition of their hard work. Not only is this a public thank you to employees for their efforts but they are rewarded with paid travel and attendance to celebrate and party with their peers. Employees enjoy being recognised as part of a team and celebrating as a team. Putting forward staff for awards and sending them to celebrate their efforts improves staff morale and in turn, creates a more loyal and motivated workforce that wants your business to do well. Not only does it reignite respect and passion for the business but it reminds employees what's good about the company and ultimately why they are proud to work for you and be part of the journey. A company’s success largely depends on the motivated and loyal staff. Employees want to be part of your success and help you reach your end goals. If they're individually or part of a team that is up for an award they'll be proud and share this with their LinkedIn network. This also broadens your reach to attract new internal talent or new businesses.
4. Awards attract talent to businesses
Following on from boosting staff morale, awards don't just benefit sales and marketing, they attract new talent and encourage people to want to work for you. Awards and accolades contribute towards internal recruitment, companies work hard on promoting positive company culture on recruitment sites and marketing channels to attract talent. Potential hires do their research too and will look up your company to see if you're a good fit for them. If a company is rated highly as a good place to work, and received diversity, inclusion, product or service recognition then the business becomes more attractive to potential hires. If you're winning awards for being the best, the best talent will want to work for you. Not only do awards and accolades attract talented hires to your business they also attract investors. If you're seeking investment, award shortlists and wins are very appealing to potential investors and help position your business as a credible and valuable investment.
5. It's a social event and a great networking opportunity
And finally, perhaps a large contributor to the growing awards industry is that given the past couple of years companies acknowledge employees need celebrations more than ever and quite simply a good time! Companies are looking for opportunities to reward their employees and ultimately provide them with as many opportunities as possible to reconnect and celebrate with their team members face-to-face. Award ceremonies have always provided great networking opportunities and now more than ever people look forward to networking face-to-face.
Get in touch with a member of the team to find out more about Evessio's Award-winning awards management software and digital awards.
Claire Singleton
Marketing Manager
Claire is the Marketing Manager at Evessio, an industry-leading event management platform for awards, conferences and exhibitions. Claire has years of experience and specialises in marketing event software, marketing events and sponsorship. Claire has a proven track record of re-branding events and implementing strategies that doubled event participation.